Brotherhood
by KrzyKat
Summary: This story takes place during and after events from The Shredder Strikes part 2


**Brotherhood**

"Yeeoww," the scream of pain echoed across the rooftops. Even the jaded New York City pigeons took flight at the sudden sound.

"Mikey," Raphael thought. He recognized his brother's voice immediately. He had wondered if the injured turtle had been up to this fight. Raph had planned on watching over Michaelangelo during this battle, but his anger and desire for revenge had ruined that plan. He started heading towards where he had last heard Mikey's voice.

Donatello's head snapped up when he heard the cry. He made quick work of the ninjas before him as he headed towards his brother. He took care of the first one with a sweep of his bo, and then slammed the staff into the stomach of the ninja who was coming up on his side. He blocked the sword of his enemy with his bo and then followed up with a front kick.

Raphael jumped into the picture, kicking the Shredder away as he tried to jump Donatello. The brothers exchanged a glance. Don smiled in thanks. Raph inclined his head towards where they had last heard Mikey.

Splinter focused on his injured son from his perch on the water tower. He had been worried about Michaelangelo's participation in this battle. Allowing his son to fight while injured was probably not the wisest decision, but he'd really had no other choice. There was no place where Michaelangelo could rest safely, and besides he knew that his son would never abandon his brothers, especially in the battle of their lives. The rat had done his best, making sure that the injured ankle was tightly wrapped. Hopefully the teen's athleticism would pull him through.

Leonardo heard Michaelangelo's cry, but pushed it to the back of his mind. It wasn't that he didn't care about his brother, but he was focused on getting the Shredder. He hated how Saki had played him, and he wanted vengeance for Splinter's Master.

Black-clad bodies littered the ground near Raphael's feet. They just seemed to keep coming, no matter how many times he knocked them down. It didn't matter though; nothing was going to keep him from his goal. Suddenly out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of orange. The familiar whoosh of air made him look up. A smirk crossed his face as he spied his brother spinning his nunchucks with his usual goofy grin on his face. Now that he knew Mikey was ok, he could concentrate on the battle at hand.

Donatello had also caught a glimpse of orange. He breathed a sigh of relief. Ever since he had seen Mikey trapped beneath that section of building, he had been worried. He had barely freed his brother before more of the building had collapsed on the spot they had both been mere moments earlier. As they slid into the shadows, hiding from Shredder and his ninjas, Don had been aware of the pain that Michaelangelo was in. His brother had been unnaturally quiet and had leaned heavily against him for support. If it hadn't been for Mikey's comment about 'brushing his long flowing locks' while he had been wrapping his ankle, Don would have panicked.

Of the brothers, Michaelangelo was the most laid back. His playful and relaxed manner was a steep contrast to his brothers, especially Raphael. No matter the situation, Mikey always seemed to come up with a joke or quip to keep the mood light and tension at bay. Don knew that Mike had to be hurting not to act like his normal talkative and whimsical self.

Now that he knew that Michaelangelo was ok, Donatello threw himself into the battle at hand. Using his bo and feet, he kept the Foot ninja at bay, while Splinter gave him pointers from above. He defeated the ninjas, but all it took was one punch from Shredder to send him careening into a wall.

Raphael was enjoying the fight. There was nothing he enjoyed more than pushing himself to his limits. He had taken care of the opponents before him and was looking for some fresh meat when he spied Splinter coming up behind an unsuspecting Leonardo. "No," he cried as he used his sais to block the razor sharp blades on the arm of the Shredder's costume. He was as surprised as anyone when Saki picked him up and tossed him like a ragdoll.

Michaelangelo looked at the ninjas surrounding him. It was time for him to get serious. He began to whirl both nunchucks which was soon followed by the satisfying thump as they struck their targets. Once he was done, he did his Michael Jordan imitation as he smiled at his handiwork. Unfortunately the Shredder came up behind him and sent him somersaulting into a heap near his brothers. "Ow," he moaned as he landed hard.

Leonardo's blades flashed into action as he took care of the Foot surrounding him. He was more than a little surprised to find himself face to face with Saki as all the rest of his opponents were defeated. With just one punch, Leonardo found himself lying on the ground with his brothers.

The Shredder stood before the downed turtles. "Time to finish you off."

Splinter leapt into action. There was no way he would allow Saki to take away his family again. It was time for him to avenge his master and protect his sons. He quickly drew the ninja master away from his sons. He chose to have this battle under the water tower.

The Shredder allowed his anger to overwhelm him. He kept swinging at the rat, but Splinter easily dodged the blows. Unfortunately Saki's blades sliced the supports instead of his enemy. Splinter was quick to take advantage of this fact. He picked his time and made his move, kicking out the remaining support. The water tower collapsed, washing Shredder and his ninjas off of the roof. The turtles had realized their Master's plan and escaped to a nearby roof, moments before the flood of water. They stood there with their Master watching as the Shredder landed on the street below. Mere seconds later the water tower itself fell upon him.

"Master Splinter," Leonardo said in an awed voice.

"Are you okay?" Michaelangelo added.

Splinter looked down at the street sadly. "Come, we have avenged my Master Yoshi. Let us go home."

"I'm all over that," Donatello remarked.

"Yeah," Raphael intoned.

Leonardo added, " I gotta tell you, home never sounded so good."

The teens started to follow Splinter across the rooftops. Raphael realized that Michaelangelo hadn't made a comment, which was totally unlike his brother. No matter what the situation, Mikey always seemed to come up with a quip. He frowned when he noticed his brother visibly limping.

"Hey wiseguy, ya don't have to play it tough," Raph said as he went to his brother's side. "Let me help ya."

"Thanks," Mikey stated through gritted teeth. He allowed his brother to help support him. His ankle was bothering him more than he wanted to admit.

Donatello dropped back to check on Michaelangelo. He knew that his brother had been hurting. He still remembered the chilling sound of Mikey's cry during the battle. He smiled when he saw that Raphael had already beaten him to it. He slowed down and took the other side. "Six feet are faster than four."

"More like five," Raph corrected.

Don nodded in concern as he realized that Mikey was avoiding putting any pressure on his injured ankle. He hoped that they got home soon so that Splinter could take a look at the injury.

Leonardo followed closely behind Master Splinter as they made their way across the rooftops. There were many conflicting emotions in his head. He had so many questions he wanted to ask his sensei, but he held back, not wanting to bother his father.

Splinter looked down. He was satisfied that they had gotten far enough away from the disturbance to avoid detection. This particular building had a fire escape that looked quite sound. He glanced backwards to check on the progress of his students. He had noticed both Raphael and Donatello going to help Michaelangelo. They were making pretty good time, all things considered.

Leonardo turned to see what was taking so long. He was shocked to see Raph and Don pretty much carrying Mikey. "What happened? Mikey are you alright?"

"Yeah Leo I'm fine, just enjoying letting others do some of the work for a change," remarked the turtle wearing the orange bandanna.

"I can drop ya right here," Raph growled. His gruff voice belied the gentleness in his movements.

Michaelangelo flashed his brother a weary and thankful smile.

Leonardo looked questioningly at Donatello. "He'll be fine, once we get home," answered the Techno-turtle.

"This looks like a good place. We are far enough from the disturbance, and this alley looks abandoned," Master Splinter stated.

"How is Mikey gonna get down?" Raphael asked.

The others shared a look. This was something they hadn't anticipated.

"I can climb down. It's not like I'm an invalid or anything," Michaelangelo answered.

"Yeah right. Don and I have been practically caring you for the last block."

"I can do it," he said petulantly.

"Three steps."

"Three steps?"

"If you can walk three steps, I'll drop this. If not, I'm carrying you down."

"Piece of cake," Mikey stated.

"It's always food with you," Donatello remarked as he eased the arm supporting his brother away.

"Remember, it's three complete steps, no baby steps or shuffling." Raphael eased Mike to his own feet. He stared at his brother pointedly.

"Give me a second, my foot's asleep."

Michaelangelo took a deep breath. He took a tentative step forward. The young turtle gritted his teeth against the pain. He wasn't going to allow Raphael the pleasure of saying 'I told you so'. He took another breath before his next step.

Raphael trained his eyes on his brother. An angry look crossed his face when he saw the pain the Mikey was trying to hide. He hated the fact that his brother was in pain and that there was nothing he could do about it.

Donatello breathed a sigh of relief when Mikey completed his second step. He saw the relief on the faces of the others as well. He had been worried that his brother had been badly hurt, but this was a good sign.

One more step. That's all he had to do to prove Raphael wrong. He took another steadying breath. His legs felt like jello and as soon as he put any weight on his injured ankle, pain coursed through his body. He refused to allow Raph to carry him down the fire escape like he was some kind of burden. Slowly he stepped forward, easing his weight onto the injured ankle.

Raphael grabbed Michaelangelo just as his legs gave out. "No arguments, you're riding down. Don, why don't you and Splinter head down first? That way the van will be here by the time we get to the bottom."

"On my way," Donatello said as the ends of the purple bandanna disappeared from sight down the side of the building.

Michaelangelo declared, " You aren't carrying me down."

"Am too, no arguments."

"NO!"

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Either you grab a hold, or I'll knock you out, and I'll carry you down. The choice is yours."

"Raph," Leonardo said warningly, in the tone that the other turtle hated to hear.

"Back off, this is between me and Mikey."

Leo stood there in shock. There was such anger in Raph's tone of voice, but the expression on his face was gentle as he supported their injured brother.

"I don't wanna," whined the injured teen.

Raphael reached towards his sai. He was more than capable of following through on his threat to knock his brother out, if it came to that.

"Fine," Mike said with a pout.

"Hold on tightly and don't even think of letting go."

"Yes sir," the turtle remarked weakly.

Raphael looked over at Leo who was still standing there in shock. "Leo, you go down first. If Mikey loses his grip, at least he'll have something to land on. "

"Ha, ha, very funny. Don't you drop me, Raph."

"Would I do that?" Asked the turtle innocently or as innocent as you could sound with a thick New York accent.

Leonardo took one last look at the turtles on the roof as he started down the fire escape. He had helped make sure that Mikey was holding onto Raphael securely before leaving. He was going to wait for them on the landing before heading to the next one. It was going to be slow going, but no one wanted Michaelangelo to get further injured.

Raphael stretched his sore muscles. He did shoulder rolls to help ease his aching back. Now that Mike was safely strapped into his seat, he could relax a bit. He watched his brother closely, noting that his face was several shades of green paler than usual. Mikey's eyes were closed and his breathing was slow and easy.

"Leo, why don't you drive?" Donatello suggested. He had two reasons for his request. One was that he wanted to see how Mikey was doing. The second was a bit more personal. He had already been subjected to sensei's backseat driving and ninja-ing comments today.

"Fine," Leo agreed. He slid easily into the driver's seat. He took a few moments to go over his pre-driving checklist before finally heading out onto the road.

"We'll be home soon, Mikey."

Raph watched as his _little_ brother slept while Leo navigated the streets. He knew that Mikey hated being called _little brother_. It was a holdover from when they were just babies. For a while Michaelangelo had been the smallest turtle, but now all 4 brothers were the same height. The nickname continued to stick, mainly because of how the turtle acted. Of the four he definitely acted the most child-like and innocent. Raphael wouldn't want him to change though; Mikey's jokes, smile and laughter were an integral part of him.

His heart had jumped into his throat when he had spied Donny half carrying, half dragging Mikey earlier that day. His brother's heavy breathing and moans made him think the worst. When Mikey had made that 'big cheesehead' comment Raph wanted to both strangle and hug his brother. The teasing comment had told him that Michaelangelo was ok. It was when Mike was quiet or serious that he got worried. Neither of those words fit the happy-go-lucky turtle, though they could both apply to Don or Leo. Maybe that's why they got along so well. Mikey never expected anything out of him, well anything more than a few sarcastic or rude comments. They never had long serious discussions, most of their dialogue consisted of teasing and joking comments, but even then they both knew that the other cared, even if it was never vocalized.

Master Splinter took the lead once they returned to their lair. He directed the turtles to carry the groggy and injured turtle to his room. He shook his head at the mess. The rat hated disorder and chaos and had tried to instill a love for order into his sons. Unfortunately it didn't take with Michaelangelo. He had had many discussions with the teen about the state of his room, but in the end he had decided that it was best to ignore the clutter. He had far more important things to concentrate on instead of focusing on a messy room.

"Leonardo, go fetch some bandages. Donatello, I need you to bring me some ice. Raphael..." The rat's whiskers twitched.

"Yes sensei."

"Raphael, you need to take a shower."

"I want to stay here."

The rat's brown eyes met those of his son. He knew how much Raphael cared about Michaelangelo, and all of his brothers, though he would never admit it. He paused for a moment, trying to think of a way to convince the turtle to leave.

"Yeah Raph, you really should hit the showers. You are kinda rank," Mikey remarked weakly.

"Are ya sure that's not the moldy pizza over in the corner?" Argued the red masked turtle.

"Raphael, go. There is nothing you can do anyway."

"Fine," he sniffed angrily. "But I'll be right back."

"No rush. I don't think I'll be running off anywhere very soon."

"Funny bro. I see that getting hurt hasn't made your jokes any better."

Leonardo was surprised that Raphael wasn't in Mikey's room when returned with the bandages. He would have laid odds that the moody turtle would not be leaving their brother's side for the rest of the night. He handed the bandages to Master Splinter. Donatello arrived a few moments later with the ice.

"Thank you my sons. Now I need you to brew some tea," Splinter said.

Leo found the request kind of odd, but he wasn't the type to question his sensei. "See ya later, Mikey," he called to his brother as he left the room.

"Do you need any help?" Donatello asked.

"No thank you, my son. Go and help Leonardo with the tea."

Don smiled at the rat. He had a feeling he knew what Master Splinter was up to. "Take it easy Mikey."

Splinter looked at his injured son. He was not looking forward to what he had to do, but at least there wouldn't be an audience. He began to unwrap the stockings that had been used to bind the ankle.

"Hope they were support hose," the turtle quipped as the stockings fell to the floor.

The rat rolled his eyes at his son. He didn't always get Michaelangelo's humor, though judging from his brothers comments, they didn't always get it either. A joking comment was a good sign though. Of his four sons, Michaelangelo was always the one with a smile and a joke. Sometimes he wondered how Michaelangelo could be related to the others; he was a goofball while the others were serious and intense. When Splinter thought about it, Michaelangelo was the only one who truly acted like the fifteen year old that he was. Leonardo, Raphael, and Donatello all seemed to act years older than their age, though they had their moments.

Leonardo filled the kettle with water and placed it on the stove. "It was weird of Splinter to request some tea, don't you think Donny?"

"He probably wants to make some that'll help Mikey with the pain or that'll make him sleep," Donatello replied.

"Do you think Mikey will be okay?"

"He'll be fine. It's just a sprained ankle."

"I still can't believe that I didn't know that he'd been injured."

"Don't beat yourself up over it Leo. Mikey is going to be fine. He'll probably just have to stay off his foot for several days."

"How'd he get hurt? And how was I the last to know? I should have known."

Donatello sat down at the kitchen table next to Leonardo. "Remember when the building caught on fire and started to collapse?"

"Yes. I landed on a car."

"Mikey got trapped between two slabs of concrete from the building. His ankle was wedged between them and took the brunt of the damage. I had to use my bo to free him."

Leo pondered this new information. He still felt badly for not realizing that his brother had been fighting injured during a battle that he had brought upon them.

Don continued, "Raphael and Splinter ran into us while Mikey was leaning on me for support. By the time we found you, we had the van. Mikey was sitting down, and there was no reason for you to notice he was hurt."

A little voice in the back of Leonardo's head echoed, " But I should have known. I should have realized."

Raphael stood beneath the warm water spraying from the showerhead. Originally he was only going to do a quick wash and rinse so that he could be back at Mikey's side, but the hot water felt good on his sore and tired muscles. He allowed the heat to help ease the tension and soreness from his body.

Splinter's nimble fingers manipulated the injured ankle. He suspected that it was only a sprain, but he wanted to make sure that there were no broken bones. He knew that Michaelangelo had to be hurting and glanced at the turtle's face. The teen was gritting his teeth against the pain.

"My son, there is no reason for you to hold back your pain. I know that it hurts."

"But," Michaelangelo sniffled as a tear escaped from his eye.

"It's just you and me. Your brothers aren't here. Don't fight it."

Splinter watched as his son struggled with his emotions. Michaelangelo had always been the most emotional turtle. Unfortunately sometimes his brothers took advantage of that fact and teased him about it, but this time, the rat believed, Michaelangelo was hiding his pain and tears for a different reason.

Raphael had just reached Mikey's bedroom when he ran into Leonardo and Donatello outside the door. "Ya left him alone?" He accused.

"Splinter is in there with him," Leo replied defensively.

"Calm down guys. Mikey's gonna be fine," Don interjected, trying to diffuse the situation before it got violent.

Splinter observed his handiwork. Michaelangelo's ankle was freshly bandaged and propped up on a pillow. The ice pack was wrapped around the injury to help ease and prevent any further swelling. He could hear his other sons squabbling out in the hallway. He looked to see how his son was doing.

Michaelangelo rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands hoping to wipe away any evidence that he'd been crying. He didn't want to see the anger that'd be in Raph's eyes. He knew that Leo and Donny would be worried about him. He took a deep breath and pasted a grin on his face.

"Michaelangelo, I want you to stay off your foot for the next week," Master Splinter said as the others entered the room.

"Awwww, darn guess that means I can't kick Raph's butt during sparring," quipped the turtle.

"You and what army?" Raphael said gruffly as he went to Michaelangelo's bedside.

"The water is ready for tea," Donatello informed his sensei.

"Thank you my son. Say your goodnights. Once Michaelangelo has his tea I want you all to go to bed."

"But sensei..."

"No buts my sons. It's after 2am, and you all need your rest. There will be no lessons for you tomorrow, but you'll all be sore from the battle tonight." Splinter headed down to the kitchen to make the tea.

"How are you feeling, Mikey?" Leonardo asked.

"I'm fine Leo." Michaelangelo answered. He was getting tired of the question. Even when it wasn't spoken he could see it in his brothers' eyes. "Will be up and dancing around in no time."

"So that's what ya call it? Doesn't look like dancing to me, looks more like a seizure," Raphael remarked.

"Ha ha, very funny Raph," Mike retorted.

Donatello smiled at the interaction between his brothers. Since Raph and Mikey were hurling insults and jokes at one another, all was well.

"So Mikey, what are you going to do with all your free time?" Don asked.

Mike shrugged. "I don't know. I'll probably get bored sitting around."

The other three turtles groaned in unison. If there was anything that could scare them, the phrase 'Mikey's bored' was at the top of the list.

Master Splinter was surprised to see that Michaelangelo's room had been turned into a hub of activity in his absence. He had expected the turtles to be gathered around the bed, quietly saying goodnight and checking on their brother's health. Instead he saw Donatello fiddling with the television and VCR, making sure they were visible from the bed and that the remote control worked. Raphael was hauling piles of comic books to his brother's bedside. Leonardo seemed to be straightening things up, picking up and throwing away the empty chip bags and pizza boxes that littered the floor.

Once Raph placed the pile of comic books on top of the crates that acted as nightstands, he grabbed Mike's Walkman. It took him several minutes to uncover the shoeboxes that held Michaelangelo's collection of CD's. "Geez, Mikey how do you find anything in this mess?"

Leonardo continued to tidy up. He had inherited Splinter's dislike of clutter. He liked to have everything neat and organized, a trait that had caused his brothers to refer to him as anal on more than on occasion. As he was organizing a pile of magazines, comic books, and candy wrappers, he found a tattered teddy bear. Leo pondered throwing it into the trash, but in the end he placed it on the bed next to Michaelangelo.

Splinter walked into the room. "Time for bed my sons."

"Awww Splinter."

"It's late and all of you need your sleep."

"Night Mikey. See you in the morning."

"Good night Mikey."

"Night guys."

Leonardo and Donatello left the room. Master Splinter looked at the remaining son. "Go to bed, my son."

"I want to stay," the turtle stated, his normally gruff voice filled with emotion.

The long day was taking its toll on Michaelangelo. He was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. He took the cup of tea from Splinter without complaining and drank it down. " 'S okay if he wants ta stay," the turtle said drowsily.

The rat stared at Raphael compassionately. He knew how much the rough and tumble turtle cared about his brothers, and especially Michaelangelo. "Okay, five more minutes, then go to bed Raphael."

"Yes sensei," he agreed. Raph knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep until he knew that Mikey was resting comfortably. He loved all of his brothers, but there was something about Michaelangelo that brought out his protective instincts.

Mikey's soft snores soon filled the room. The combination of the long and stressful day, plus Master Splinter's special blend of tea, made the turtle fall to sleep almost instantly.

Splinter watched the sleeping turtle for several moments. He removed the melting ice pack from the wrapped ankle, and prodded the dozing Raphael to his feet. "Go to bed, my son. You need your rest as well."

The half-asleep turtle didn't protest. He gave his sleeping brother one last look and then headed to his bedroom.

"Good night my son," Master Splinter said as he turned off the light and left the room.

His ankle was throbbing. It wasn't a sharp pain, but it was constant. He had tried closing his eyes and pretending that the pain wasn't there, but it hadn't helped. Mikey grabbed the remote and turned on the television. If he couldn't sleep, maybe he could find something on the tube to make him forget about the ache. He quickly turned down the volume. While he had been known to fall asleep with the TV blaring, he didn't want to disturb the others, especially Raphael whose room was right next door.

Mikey flipped through the channels. There was nothing on but infomercials or news programs, neither of which interested him. After wasting ten minutes flipping through the channels repeatedly, hoping to find something, anything interesting, the turtle gave up. He put on his Walkman. Soon his favorite tunes were blaring in his ears. Mikey picked up one of his comic books and started reading.

The CD had ended, and Michaelangelo was bored with reading. He looked around his room, trying to find something to occupy his time. His eyes settled on his sketchpad and pencils. He felt a sudden urge to do some drawing. The turtle eyed the distance from his bed to the sketchpad. He knew that Splinter had told him to stay off his foot for a week, but it really wasn't that far away. He could just hop over, grab the paper and pencils, hop back and no one would be the wiser.

Michaelangelo eased his injured ankle off its pillow and over the edge of the bed. He stood up on his good foot, making sure he had his balance. He took a tentative hop forward. It didn't cause any pain, so he hopped again. It didn't take long before he reached his objective. He sighed with relief as he picked up the sketchpad and pencils. Just five more hops and he'd be back at his bed. He was almost there when his foot got tangled up in the blankets. The turtle lost his balance and fell hard.

"Owwwww, owwww, owwww," Mikey yelped. He bit back his cries once the first wave of pain passed. He hoped against hope that no one had heard the crash.

"What the shell do you think you're doing?" Raphael growled angrily when he entered the room and saw Michaelangelo in a heap on the floor.

"N..N...Nothing."

"Why are you outta bed? Master Splinter told ya to stay off yer foot for the next week."

Raph reached down and helped Mikey up. He supported his brother's weight until he got him settled back in his bed.

"Please don't tell the others, Raph," Michaelangelo begged.

"Tell us what?" Splinter asked from the doorway. Behind the rat stood the other two turtles. They had all been awakened by the sound of Michaelangelo falling to the floor and crying out in pain.

Mikey's eyes begged Raphael to cover for him.

"Shell for brains decided to go for a little walk," Raph announced.

"Michaelangelo, I told you to stay off your ankle," Splinter stated.

"I didn't go for a walk, and I did stay off my ankle."

"Then why'd I find you sprawled out on the floor."

"I hmmmnnp," the young turtle mumbled.

"Excuse me, in English, please."

Michaelangelo took a deep breath. "I hopped. If those stupid blankets hadn't reached up and grabbed me, I wouldn't have fallen."

Don shook his head. Mikey had made a similar comment when he had found him trapped between slabs of concrete. Now that he felt confident that his brother was ok, he decided to head downstairs and fix breakfast. They were all awake now, and he doubted that they'd be going back to sleep.

Splinter shook his head as he approached the bed. He knew that it'd be a struggle keeping Michaelangelo off his injured ankle for a week, but he had hoped to get through a day or two without problems. "Leonardo, can you go downstairs and get me an ice pack?" He asked as he examined the ankle to make sure there wasn't any damage.

"Yes sensei," Leo answered. He quickly made his way to the kitchen where he found Donny fixing breakfast.

"Ice pack is on the counter," Don said as he poured bowls of cereal.

"Thanks. How did you know?"

"It's standard treatment for a sprained ankle. Splinter will probably be icing Mikey's ankle for the next day or so. It'll keep the swelling down and help dull the pain."

"Wow Donny, you really know your stuff."

"It's just basic stuff. I read it in a book," Donatello said to deflect the praise.

"So Don, have you noticed that Raph's been more on edge than usual? He looked ready to take Mikey's head off."

"What do you expect? Raph always gets bent out of shape when something happens to any of us, more so when it's Mikey. This time it's worse because he has no one to blame and take his anger out on. You can't beat up a building, and the Shredder is gone, so he has to hold it in," Don stated.

Leonardo took a moment to ponder his brother's words. What Don said made sense, though he doubted that Raphael would notice if something happened to him.

Donatello could see the disbelief on Leo's face. Most of the time Leo and Raph were at each other's throats, but Don knew that Raphael cared about him. The brothers were both very intense, though about different things. They were too similar and stubborn which was probably why they tended to butt heads. Mikey was the opposite, which was the reason why he got along with Raphael so well. He was lighthearted and laid back, and he let Raph's comments roll off his back. Don laughed; his own close relationship with Michaelangelo was based on the fact that Mikey kept him grounded. If it weren't for his fun-loving brother, Donny would most likely become so wrapped up in his books and inventions, that he'd forget everything else. Mikey was the glue that held the family together.

Raphael averted his eyes from where Splinter was examining Mike's ankle. He couldn't bear to see the pain that was on his brother's face. Knowing that Mikey was hurting, made him feel helpless. He didn't like that feeling and it made him angry. He really wanted to punch whoever was causing the pain, but unfortunately he had no target for his anger. He took a deep breath, there was no sense in taking his frustration out on Michaelangelo-- the last person in the world he wanted to hurt. He spied a pad of paper lying near where he had found his brother sprawled on the floor. He walked over and picked it up. He was curious to discover what had been so important that his brother would risk injury.

He flipped open the sketchpad. The first several pages were obviously copies of various comic book characters. The quality of the drawings improved the further he got. A low whistle escaped his lips when he turned the page. There were sketches of him and his brothers in various poses. While he had known that Mikey liked to draw, he hadn't realized that his brother had talent.

"Mikey did you draw these?" Raphael asked.

Michaelangelo looked up from the comic book he was pretending to read while Splinter manipulated his ankle. He blanched when he saw his sketchpad in his brother's hand. He had never shared his drawings with anyone. He liked drawing and wasn't ready to deal with criticism or the teasing that would most likely come from his brothers, especially Raph. "Yeah," he replied tentatively.

"They ain't half bad," Raphael remarked.

Mikey breathed a sigh of relief. That was high praise coming from Raph. "Thanks."

Leo walked into the room. "Here's the ice pack, Master Splinter."

"Thank you Leonardo," the rat said gratefully. He placed the ice on the injury. He was satisfied that Michaelangelo hadn't damaged the ankle with his spill.

Donatello followed his brother into the room carrying a tray. It had taken him a bit longer since he had had to take the stairs. The seldom-used staircase was hidden from sight around a corner. It was dark and coated in dust and cobwebs. Since Mikey was going to be confined to his room for a week, they should clear it for use. "Breakfast is served," he announced.

Mike smiled at his brother. "Wow, CoCo Puffs, my favorite. Thanks Donny!"

"It was nothing. Master Splinter, the water is ready if you want to make some tea."

"Thank you Donatello. I think we'll pass on the tea at this time." The rat smiled at his son. Donatello was always thinking ahead. His sharp mind was always trying to figure things out.

"I've got everything ready for breakfast downstairs," the turtle with the purple bandanna stated.

"I'm not leaving," Raph growled under his breath to no one in particular.

"I brought an extra bowl," Don said.

Raphael smiled at Don. He didn't call him brainiac for nothing. He supposed he should feel a little disturbed that his brother could read him so well, but at the moment he felt grateful. "Hey Mikey, save some cereal for me."

Leonardo was in the training area performing his katas. He knew that Master Splinter had given them the day off from training, but he felt better going through his daily routine. The flowing movements helped calm his mind. He focused on his breathing and form, wanting to do each movement perfectly.

Donatello was in his workshop, or at least that's what they referred to the area where the turtle preferred to do his work. He had his safety goggles on while he worked on the delicate circuitry. He had found the old game a few months ago, but hadn't found the time to fix it. There was always something more pressing that seemed to come up, but today it was high on his list of priorities.

Raphael shook his head at the images on the TV screen. This had to be one of the cheesiest horror movies ever, but Mikey had wanted to watch it. He turned to make a comment to his brother. The sarcastic remark died on his lips.

Michaelangelo was snoring softly. Exhaustion had finally won out over the pain. He looked so peaceful and innocent asleep; nothing like the active prankster he was when he was awake.

Raph smiled at his brother as he tucked the blankets around him. He removed the melting icepack from Mikey's ankle and picked up the tray with their breakfast dishes. He gave his brother one last glance before heading down to the kitchen.

Donatello looked up when he saw movement heading to the kitchen. "Hey Raph, whatcha doing? I didn't expect to see you down here. Is Mikey ok?"

"He's sleeping like a baby," the turtle said in his gravelly voice.

"That's good to hear. He's probably exhausted, and sleep is the best thing for him," Don remarked.

"Yeah, I guess so. I think I'll hit the bag for a few."

"Leo's in the training area," Donatello stated.

"Figures," Raph muttered under his breath.

Raphael watched Leo go through his katas for several minutes. He had to admit that his brother was committed to perfection. Every movement was precise. Raph snorted and began to hit the heavy bag. He took it slowly at first, letting his body warm up. As he jabbed and crossed, he could feel the anger boiling just below the surface start to rise. He took the feeling and used it to his advantage. Now he could get rid of the pent up feelings of rage at Michaelangelo's injury and pain. Every time he saw the look of pain on his brother's face or in his eyes, he wanted to break something.

Leonardo watched Raphael pummel the punching bag. His eyes caught Donatello's. "He's been at it for a while."

"Yes, he has," agreed the techno-turtle.

"If he doesn't ease up, he'll break the bag."

"Do you want to be the one to tell him that?"

Leo shook his head. He marveled at his brother's stamina. Raphael had been going full speed for close to an hour, and he didn't show any signs of slowing down. He wondered what it was that drove his brother to push himself so hard.

Raphael felt refreshed. Working out his frustrations on the heavy bag really helped, and the hot shower had been the topper. He walked into the kitchen to get some lunch and to take a tray up to Mikey who was probably awake by now. The red bandanna wearing turtle looked around in confusion. He knew where he had left the tray, but it wasn't there. He closed his eyes and looked again. He knew he had left it on the counter with the ice pack, but it was no longer there. "Donny, have you seen the tray?" He asked his brother who was sitting at the table eating a sandwich.

"Yeah, Leo took it. He made a couple of sandwiches and took them up for Mikey," Donatello replied.

"Okay," Raph answered. He looked at his brother for a moment. "Don, can I ask you something?"

"Sure Raph, what's on your mind?"

"In your expert opinion, is Mikey gonna be okay?"

"Damn it Jim, I'm a scientist, not a doctor," Donatello replied with a smirk. He took one look at the expression on his brother's face and sobered. "Sorry, I always wanted to say that."

"So..."

"Mikey is gonna be just fine. He just needs to stay off his ankle and allow it to heal. Sooner than we think, he'll be back on his feet, driving us crazy with his pranks."

"Now if he'll cooperate," Raphael remarked.

"He's got everything you need right there, he shouldn't need to try anything foolish."

"Like hopping across the room?"

"Yeah, like that," Don said with a smile. "So what was he after?"

"You know that Mikey likes to draw right?"

"Uh huh, not that I've ever seen anything he's ever drawn. He protects his sketchbook better than Fort Knox. But what does that have to do with his _trip _this morning? Oh wait, you mean he went after his sketchbook?"

"Yup."

Donatello shook his head and laughed. "That's Mikey for ya. Hopefully he learned his lesson."

"I saw his drawings."

"Did he blow his top?" Don asked out of curiosity. Michaelangelo never seemed to get angry, and Donatello couldn't remember ever seeing Mikey lose his temper.

"No, he looked more scared than anything. I don't know why, they were good. I mean real good. Mikey's got talent."

"Always knew he was good for something," Don remarked. He was actually quite happy to hear that his brother was talented at something. In their family, Mikey and his contributions tended to get overlooked. Leonardo was the leader; he always had a plan. While Raphael was a loose cannon, he was a skilled and relentless warrior; there was no one you'd rather have watching your back. Donatello was the resident techno whiz. If he couldn't fix something, then he'd invent something that did the job, only better and with a few extras. Then there was Mikey, the goofball, who loved to play jokes. While drawing wasn't a skill that would help in battle, it was still something.

Leonardo placed the tray on one of the milk crates used as furniture in Michaelangelo's room. He hadn't expected Mikey to be sleeping. He watched the steady rise and fall of his brother's chest. His eyes stopped on the other turtle's face. Mikey looked so peaceful and innocent asleep.

"I'm sorry Mikey. I didn't mean for you to get hurt. If I could do it over again... if I could have it be me instead, I would," Leo whispered to his sleeping brother.

Splinter walked into Michaelangelo's room. While he wasn't surprised to find at least one of his other sons there, he was shocked at who wasn't there. He smiled at the sleeping turtle. The teen had gone through a lot the previous day, but exhaustion had finally won out.

"Hello Leonardo," the rat said. He rested his paw on his son's shoulder. He could feel the tension that existed there. "How are you doing?"

Leo tried to smile at his Master, but he couldn't quite manage it. His facade broke. "I'm sorry sensei."

"Sorry for what my son?"

"For running off to confront Saki. If I hadn't, then Mikey wouldn't have been hurt."

"What happened to Michaelangelo was an accident. There was nothing you or your brothers could have done to stop it; it just happened."

"But Mikey wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for me."

"Your brothers were there of their own free will. You cannot blame yourself for this, Leonardo. Michaelangelo will be just fine. It's just a minor injury, something that could have happened here in the lair during sparring."

"But," Leo started.

"No buts, Leonardo. It's not your fault. You must stop blaming yourself. Yes, Michaelangelo was injured, but he'll recover. You can't take responsibility for everything that happens to your brothers," Master Splinter interrupted.

Michaelangelo opened his eyes. He saw both Splinter and Leonardo having a spirited discussion. He kind of felt like he was intruding on a private conversation, but it was his room and he wasn't allowed out of bed. "Hey," he said hoarsely, letting them know that he was there.

"So whatcha been working on, Donny?" Raph asked after consuming a sandwich in two bites.

"Just a game I found at the dump. I thought I rewired and soldered the connections correctly, but it won't work. I'll have to take it apart and try again. I had hoped to have it done this afternoon for Mikey; it'd keep him busy for at least a little while."

"Too bad it wasn't something easy like changing the battery. Oh well, I'm sure you'll figure it out. I'm gonna go up and see if Mikey is awake yet," Raphael stated.

"Changing the battery," Donatello echoed. How could he have been so stupid? He had totally overlooked the battery. He pried open the cover to reveal an empty case. "Guess that's why I couldn't get it to work."

Mikey had just taken a large bite of the peanut butter sandwich when Raphael walked into the room.

"Hey sleeping beauty, nice of you to join us," commented the sarcastic turtle. "Though from the looks of ya, I think you need about 100 years of sleep.

The peanut butter and bread stuck to the roof of his mouth, making it impossible for Michaelangelo to retort. The turtle glared at his brother, though there was a sparkle in his eyes.

Splinter rolled his eyes at his son's antics. By now he was used to the barrage of insults and taunts that Michaelangelo and Raphael constantly threw at each other.

"Rest my son, and no more trips across the floor. You are to stay in bed and rest that ankle," Master Splinter announced before he headed to the door.

"Don't worry sensei, if he tries anything stupid like that again, I'll hogtie him to the bed," Raph replied.

"Haha, you and what army?" Mikey retorted.

"I don't need an army," he replied menacingly.

Leo watched the interchange between his brothers. It seemed so normal, and he felt out of place. Neither of them knew he was there, nor did they see him leave.

Now Raphael knew why they called them _bored_ games. After several hours of playing, he was bored out of his mind. If he passed Go one more time, he was going to scream.

"Looks like you are bankrupt, I guess that means I win," Michaelangelo stated. "Wanna play again?"

Raph suspected that Mikey had been siphoning funds from the bank during the game. He knew that he shouldn't have let his brother be the banker. "Nah," he replied. He caught the disappointed look on his brother's face. "What about a real game like poker?"

Donatello snapped the cover in place. It had taken him a lot longer than he expected to get the game up and running. It had taken him almost an hour to find the right size battery. Then some of the connections had been corroded and he had had to rewire. All in all, it probably took him more time to put the game back together than it would to play it.

Don tapped on the door before walking into the room. Both Mikey and Raph looked up at his entrance. "Hi guys."

"Hey Donny," Mike said brightly. "What's up, bro?"

"Hey bro," Raphael remarked.

Donatello had to smile at Michaelangelo's happy greeting. He felt bad for not spending more time with his sibling today, but Raph had picked up the slack. "How's the ankle feeling?"

"It's ok," replied the turtle with the orange headband. "Whatcha got there?"

"Oh this?" Don lifted the package in his hands. "Just a little something to keep you occupied."

"For me? Really?" Mikey sounded like an excited child on Christmas morning.

"Yes, you." The techno-turtle placed the game into his brother's hands.

"Thanks Donny."

"No problem, just don't break it. You don't want to know how long I spent working on it today."

Raphael smiled at both his brothers. He made a mental note to thank Donatello for making Mikey smile. It felt like ages since he'd seen Michaelangelo smile or laugh, even though it had probably only been a day.

Mike looked back and forth from the video game to the cards. He wanted to play both, but that was impossible. "Hey Donny, want to play poker with us?" He asked hopefully.

Donatello was about to reply that he had things to do when he caught a glimpse of his brother's eyes. He knew that he couldn't refuse this offer. The work and projects could wait until later; spending time with his brothers was more important. "Sure, why not."

Raphael was a little bit surprised that Donatello had agreed to play. Don was usually too busy to get caught up in mundane things like playing cards and such. "Ready to lose your shirt, Bro?"

"You've gotta actually wear clothes for strip poker to be any fun," Mikey remarked.

"That's not what I meant and you know it," growled Raph.

Don shook his head. He was wondering if he'd regret agreeing to play. "But you know poker isn't really my game."

Raphael rolled his eyes. He had been looking forward to playing a few hands of poker.

The look of disappointment on Michaelangelo's face was heart wrenching.

Donatello met first Mike's eyes and then Raph's. "How about Gin Rummy?"

The red masked turtle shook his head. Trust the brainiac to choose a game that required strategy and planning. "How about plain Rummy?"

Mikey could tell that his brothers were prepared for a long drawn out debate over the merits of various card games. "I wanna play pick up the pile Rummy," he stated.

"For points?" Don queried.

Raphael smiled. "Of course."

"Which way?"

"Low score."

A heated battle soon broke out as the card game unfolded. Raphael was competitive as always, and Donatello used his sharp mind to plot out his strategy. The two of them were separated by less than 10 points after half a dozen hands. Mikey lagged far behind, but he wasn't trying that hard. He would lie down whatever matches he had, even if they had a low point value. At the strangest of times, he would pick up the entire pile just for a specific card, unfortunately one of his brothers would usually go out and he'd be caught with a lot of extra cards and points in his hand.

A couple of hours passed as the turtles played cards. They shifted from Rummy to Pitch, and finally to Blackjack. There was some good-natured arguing, but the brothers had a good time. Donatello stood up and stretched.

"You gonna go?" Mikey asked.

"Yeah, I should, especially if you want anything to eat tonight," the purple masked turtle replied.

"If you cook, just make sure it's edible. While Mikey may eat anything, I like my food to actually taste like food," Raphael teased.

"I'll keep that in mind." Don said as he headed out the door. "Oh, hi Leo."

The blue masked turtle poked his head in the room. "Hi guys." He stayed just outside the doorway.

"Leo, come in and play cards with us," Michaelangelo stated.

Leonardo avoided looking into Raph's eyes, but when he saw the hope on Mikey's face, he knew he couldn't turn his brother down. "Well maybe for a little while."

Mike smiled broadly. "It'll be great fun."

"Just watch out, Mikey likes to cheat," Raphael stated.

"I do not cheat," the injured turtle replied with a pout.

Raph started to shuffle the cards. "So what'll it be?"

Donatello was mildly surprised to see Leonardo playing cards with Mike and Raph when he returned with dinner. He was happy to see Leo spending some time with Mikey. He had a feeling that their _fearless leader_ felt guilty for Michaelangelo's injury. It had been an accident, something that could have happened to any of them, at any time. Sometimes, Don thought, Leo took his role as leader too seriously.

Several minutes later, Splinter entered the room carrying a stack of plates and the pot that contained the dinner that Donatello had cooked. When he had walked by the room, seeing his sons gathered together, he had felt the urge to have a family dinner.

Leonardo was shocked by Master Splinter's appearance with dinner. The rat had made his views on the turtles eating in their rooms clear, though Michaelangelo and Raphael tended to ignore the rule. The fact that their sensei was actually initiating this meal surprised and perplexed the turtle.

Splinter smiled as he watched his family enjoy dinner together. They had survived the showdown with Shredder; he had avenged his Master Yoshi. The only major injury had been Michaelangelo's sprained ankle which would heal.

Dinner was a relatively quiet affair. For the most part, the only sound was of forks scraping against their plates. The turtles and rat made short work of the pot of spaghetti. Master Splinter brushed off the offers from his sons to help with the dishes. He thought it would be better for Michaelangelo's morale if the siblings spent some time together, especially since the youngster was confined to bed for the next week.

The evening was filled with laughter, teasing, and even an insult or two, as the green teens played a selection of games. The hours went by in a blur of Life, Yatzee, and Uno. Games were won and lost, but no one kept track. All too soon it was time for bed, and the brothers said their good nights before heading to their respective bedrooms. Even though it had been a _lazy_ day, the teens were worn out from their early morning wake up call as well as the battle the night before.

Michaelangelo groaned as he opened his eyes and looked at the clock. It was early morning, an hour where he was either usually still dead to the world or occasionally just heading to bed. His ankle was throbbing, making sleep impossible. He already knew, from yesterday, that there was nothing on TV, though the tape of one of his favorite movies was in the VCR. His eyes landed on the game that Donatello had given him yesterday. He had never gotten a chance to play it. Mike picked up the game and started to fiddle with the buttons. It took a few tries and lives, but he quickly learned the skills he'd need to defeat the game.

Raphael buried his head in his pillow. He was definitely not what you'd call a morning turtle. He lay there, hoping that he'd drift back to sleep. He could hear muffled beeps which told him that Mikey was awake as well. He debated between trying to catch some more zzz's and spending time with his brother. Hanging out with Michaelangelo won. Today things would return to their normal routine of training and lessons. With Michaelangelo being confined to his room, Raph wouldn't get to spend much time with him today.

"Hey bro. Didja beat the game yet?" Asked a gruff and slightly drowsy voice.

"Hey Raph. I didn't wake ya did I?"

"Nah, I was awake. How's the ankle?"

Michaelangelo started to reply honestly, but decided against it. "It's ok. Doesn't hurt at all."

If Raphael had been wider awake, he might of caught onto the fact that his brother was fibbing, but it was the answer he wanted to hear. "So how's the game?"

"It's a lot of fun. Wanna try it?"

"Nah, I better not. I'd probably get caught up with playing and be late to training, and we both know how much Master Splinter likes it when we are late."

"Yeah," Mikey agreed, his voice almost sounding wistful. "So things are back to normal today?"

"Yeah, back to drills and lessons. Lucky you, you get to miss it."

"Yeah, lucky me," Michaelangelo repeated sarcastically.

"So what are your plans for today?"

"I thought I'd go for a jog around the sewers and then maybe go 'boarding in the park."

Raphael looked at his brother quizzically. While the response was obviously a joke, he sensed an edge of sarcasm in it. He was the sarcastic one; Mikey's humor was usually the straightforward kind. "You ok, bro?"

Mike bit back the sarcastic retort that was on the tip of his tongue. "Just peachy, kinda like my bandanna."

There was a knock on the door. Both turtles looked up to see Splinter enter the room. "Raphael, it is time for practice."

"Awwwww Sensei."

"Raphael, join your brothers. Leonardo will be leading the katas, and you don't want to be late."

"Some people have all the luck," the red masked turtle muttered as he left the room.

"How are you this morning, Michaelangelo?" Master Splinter asked.

"I'm fine," replied the turtle.

The rat studied his son's face. He was certain that the ankle was causing some discomfort, even if the teen wouldn't admit it. He placed a bowl of oatmeal on the crate they were using as a table.

"Thanks for breakfast, Sensei."

Splinter nodded as he placed a pile of books on the bed. "I thought that during your free time this week, you could work on some of your lessons."

"Gee thanks, Master Splinter."

"You wouldn't want to fall behind in your studies."

"No, of course I wouldn't," Mike replied, trying to keep a straight face.

Splinter tried to hide a smile. He knew that his son was being sarcastic. Michaelangelo would try any excuse to avoid his lessons. His sons were all at varying levels, so he allowed them to study at their own pace, which if Michaelangelo or Raphael had a say would be nonexistent. He didn't understand why it was such a struggle to get those two to study. They were both quite smart, when they applied themselves.

"Is there anything you need, my son?"

Mike thought about asking for something for the pain, but he hated how his head felt all fuzzy after one of Splinter's special teas. "No, I'm all right."

"I'll be back to check on you later."

The day dragged. To Michaelangelo it felt like time was standing still. He had spent most of the morning playing the game Don had given him. Raph had joined him briefly for lunch before going back to training. He had started to watch his favorite movie, but today he just couldn't get into the inane humor. Mike tried to read his comic books, but he knew them all by heart. The pain in his ankle made it difficult for him to concentrate on anything. He was so desperate for distraction that he had even started to work on his lessons. By the time Raph arrived with dinner, the turtle was bored to tears and a bit cranky at his forced inactivity.

"Hey bro, ready for some pizza?" Raphael asked as he carried an extra large pie into the room. He was certain that his brother's favorite meal would cheer him up.

"Been ready for hours. I've been starving to death up here," Michaelangelo sniped.

Raph looked pointedly at the now empty bag of chips lying beside the bed, but held his tongue. "Dinner is served," he stated as he handed the other turtle a paper plate with two slices.

Mike looked at the slices before practically inhaling them. "Just pepperoni?"

"Only topping we had. Someone…" The red bandanna-wearing turtle stopped himself from remarking that Michaelangelo had used up the last of the toppings the other day. He handed another two slices to his brother before finishing off his second in two bites.

"So what did you do today?" Queried the bedridden turtle.

"You know, the usual stuff. Leo led us through the katas, and Master Splinter worked with us on our technique. Guess he saw some stuff in our battle the other night that we need to work on. Oh yeah, we had to work on our lessons for a few hours. Being stuck in a room with Leo and Don studying is not my idea of a good time."

"I can imagine," Mikey replied sarcastically. "Musta been rough on you. Looks like you survived though."

Raphael's temper flared. He was the easiest of the turtles to rile up, a fact that his brothers sometimes used to their advantage in their sparring. He took one look into his injured brother's expectant face and took a deep breath. He could tell that Mike was testing him.

Splinter had been watching the exchange from the doorway. He was impressed at how Raphael had kept his cool. He knew how much the effort must have cost his son.

"Good evening my sons," the rat stated as he made his way into the room.

"Evening Master Splinter," they chorused.

"Pizza tonight?"

"Want some?" Michaelangelo offered as he stared at the last piece.

"No thank you. I have already eaten. Enjoy your dinner. How is your ankle feeling?"

Raph handed his brother the last slice without argument. With a mouthful of cheese and crust, the turtle mumbled, "It's there."

The rat nodded. He felt badly. He hadn't given the injured turtle the attention he should have the past few days. Splinter had been dealing with his feelings in response to what had transpired with the Shredder. He had left much of Michaelangelo's care to his brothers, and from the looks of it, Raphael had gotten the brunt of it.

Splinter knew that if he asked, Raphael would bluster about it being a pain in the shell and a waste of time, but that the turtle wouldn't want to be elsewhere. He had observed the red masked turtle leaving the training area, supposedly to get a drink of water, but instead checking in on Michaelangelo several times during the day.

The rat made a mental note to talk to the others about spending more time with their brother. He could tell that the forced inactivity was wearing on his son's usually sunny disposition, and he knew that it would only get worse.

"Raphael, could you get me an ice pack and boil some water for tea? I want to see how Michaelangelo's ankle is healing."

"Sure thing Sensei. Do you want anything else—extra bandages, a gag?"

"The tea and ice pack should be sufficient."

"I'll be back later bro."

"That a threat or a promise?"

"Wise guy."

Raph walked into the empty kitchen. It was just as well that the room was vacant. If he had seen one of his brothers, he would probably pick a fight. He didn't have a problem with spending time with Mikey, but it felt like he was the only one. Leo was probably in his room working on his studies, and Don had disappeared somewhere as soon as he had finished his dinner.

Don rushed down the familiar tunnels. His errand had taken longer than expected, but he had accomplished everything he wanted. He readjusted the crutches under his arm. Donatello was glad that he remembered spying them in April's shop. Once he had explained what had happened to Michaelangelo, April had been more than happy to give them to him.

The redhead had been very concerned when he had asked her if she had any crutches lying around. Her first questions had been, "Did something happen? Is everyone alright?"

Don had quickly brought her up to speed, telling her about the battle and Mikey's injured ankle. He had assured her that it was just a sprain.

Raphael sat at the kitchen table as he waited for the water to boil. He had already prepared the ice pack.

"Hey Raph," Don said as he entered the room. His happy tone diminished when he saw the dark expression on his brother's face.

"Nice of ya to show your face, Donny."

Donatello cringed at the anger in Raph's voice. "Sorry Raph, I didn't expect to be gone for so long. The stop at April's took longer than planned."

"It's so nice of you to take the time to _visit_ April."

"I went to pick up these for Mikey." Don held up the crutches. "And I got him some more comic books."

"Uh Don, I'm sorry for biting off your head. That was nice of you." The red masked turtle indicated the crutches. "Is there something you and Splinter aren't telling us? Is Mikey's ankle worse than you've said?"

Donatello saw the worry in Raphael's eyes. "No, it's just a bad sprain. I figured that once Splinter allows Mikey off of bed rest, his ankle would still be a bit weak. These will just allow him some mobility until he's back to normal."

"Mikey's never been normal."

Splinter unwrapped Michaelangelo's ankle and began to manipulate the flesh.

"Owwwww, that's a nice gentle touch ya got there Sensei," the turtle muttered sarcastically.

The rat ignored the comment. He wanted to make sure that the injury was healing properly. Besides he knew that the jibe was a result of the pain and the frustration of being cooped up in his room.

Michaelangelo was his happy-go-lucky son. The turtle always had a smile on his face and a quip on his tongue. It was almost impossible to anger the fun loving terrapin. Michaelangelo was ever the practical joker, but his jokes were always for laughs never malicious. The turtle didn't seem to have a mean bone in his body; he was always trying to make people smile.

Once Splinter was satisfied that the ankle was healing properly he began to rewrap it. "How are you feeling my son?"

Mike shrugged.

"Be honest. Your ankle hurts and you don't like being cooped up alone in your room."

The turtle looked at him in surprise. "Whoa Sensei, how'd ya do that? Did you read my mind or something?"

"I am not blind, my son. Which is bothering you more, being confined to your bed? Or being alone?"

Splinter could see his son pondering the question. Michaelangelo was the most active and social turtle. Both traits often got him in trouble when he would pester his brothers to see what they were doing. Outside of when he was sleeping, this was the longest period of time that Michaelangelo had ever spent in one place.

"Look what I found wandering the sewers," Raph stated as he brought in the tray with the ice pack and the boiling water for tea.

Donatello stepped inside the door. In one hand he carried the crutches and in the other he held a bag with several new comic books. "Got something for you. I hope I got the ones you like."

Mikey thumbed through the books. "Thanks Donny. What's with the crutches?"

"Thought they might come in handy when you are back on your feet."

Michaelangelo glanced at rat that was fixing a cup of tea. "Can I try them out, Master Splinter? Please?"

"In a few more days my son. You need to give your ankle time to heal properly."

The turtle started to pout and grumble under his breath.

"Oh yeah, April says 'hi'. She hopes that you feel better soon," Don added.

"Really?" Michaelangelo brightened up.

Raphael stood in the background watching. He was there for his brother, but a part of him was tired of dealing with the crankiness. He had had more than his share for the day.

"Drink your tea, Michaelangelo." Splinter commanded as he set the brew before the youngster.

The turtle made faces as he drank down the tea. Within several minutes, he began to yawn. A few minutes later he was asleep.

"Get some rest, my sons. He'll sleep through until tomorrow." Splinter turned off the light behind him as they all left the sleeping turtle's room.

The rat debated about talking to his sons then or waiting until the morning. He decided that morning was probably a better choice so that his lecture would be fresh in their minds.

As Splinter headed towards his room he noticed the light was still on in Leonardo's bedroom. He poked his head into the room. "Still up my son?"

"Hi sensei. I was just reading this book and hadn't realized that it was so late," the blue bandana-wearing turtle replied.

"How is your brother doing?"

"Mikey? Uh, he's doing fine." Leo couldn't meet his sensei's eyes.

"When was the last time you visited Michaelangelo?"

Leonardo studied the floor. "Yesterday," he mumbled.

Splinter studied his son. Usually Leonardo went out of his way to make his father proud of him. He knew that his son was feeling guilty that his brother had gotten injured. "Why haven't you visited your brother? I'm sure he would love the company."

"Raph's there."

"That is no excuse, my son. You cannot expect Raphael to carry the burden."

Leo bowed his head in shame. "Yes sensei."

Splinter sighed. "Goodnight my son."

"Night."

Splinter entered his room. It hurt him to see his sons in pain. Michaelangelo was suffering physical pain while Leonardo's was mental. Raphael was struggling with seeing someone he cared about injured and not being able to do anything about it. Donatello seemed to have it the easiest. He kept trying to find ways to ease Michaelangelo's frustration over being cooped up in his room.

The rat sighed. Recent events had brought back emotions that he thought he had already dealt with. He missed his Master Yoshi. Anger filled Splinter as he remembered how the Shredder had killed Yoshi. He had gotten his vengeance, but it felt hollow and unfulfilling. Nothing would bring his Master back.

Raphael stifled a yawn. He was not a morning turtle. Mikey had still been asleep when he had peeked in on him. He hoped that today his brother would be in a better mood. He wasn't used to dealing with a cranky Mikey, and he didn't like it.

"Good morning, my sons." Splinter said as he entered the dojo. He was glad to see that the teens were already there.

"Morning sensei," they chorused.

The turtles looked at each other with concern when Master Splinter told them to sit down. It was a bad sign, and usually meant that they were in for a lecture.

"I am concerned about Michaelangelo."

"Is there something wrong?" Raphael interrupted. His hands balled into fists.

"Michaelangelo is recovering as expected, but he is not dealing well with the confinement to his room. It would be nice if **all** of you spent some time with your brother." Splinter's brown eyes sought out Leonardo as he emphasized the word all. "You will have morning drills and lessons, but the afternoon will be free time, time you should spend with Michaelangelo. He may be difficult, but put yourself in his place."


End file.
